Vol. 14(7), pp. 467-476, 14 February, 2019 DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2018.13652 Article Number: 6A42C5360313 ISSN: 1991-637X Copyright ©2019 African Journal of Agricultural Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR Research Full Length Research Paper Photosynthetic profiles and nutrimental characterization of yellow mango in Mexico Betsabe Piedragil-Ocampo1, Elías Hernández-Castro1*, José Antonio Mora Aguilera2, Agustín Damián-Nava1, Francisco Palemón Alberto1, Gregorio Sarabia Ruiz1 and Abraham Monteón-Ojeda2 1Maestría en Ciencias Agropecuarias y Gestión Local de la Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Carrt. Iguala – Tuxpan Km 2.5 Iguala, Guerrero, C. P. 41100, México. 2Colegio de Postgraduados, Instituto de Fitosanidad, km 35.5, Carr. México-Texcoco, Montecillo, Estado de México, C. P. 56230, México. Received 22 October, 2018; Accepted 16 January, 2019 Worldwide, Mexico represents the first exporter of mango. However, in recent years mango exports have decreased by 29 points due to a change in the preference of the American market; hence, it is essential to diversify the supply of mangoes exports. Measurement of the net photosynthesis response and internal CO2 concentrations can provide data on important parameters of the physiology of a variety; these have been widely used in ecophysiological studies and allow the early evaluation of germplasm. The objective of the study is to do a physiological evaluation of 8 mango varieties (Nam Doc Mai, Rosigold, Mallika, Ivory, Alphonse, Neelum, Fairchild and Kesar) recently introduced to Mexico and 2 recently registered by INIFAP (Ataúlfo “Diamante” and Ataúlfo “Zafiro”), all with export potential. The work was carried out under 2 conditions (laboratory and greenhouse). For the photosynthesis registry, nursery plants approximately 18 months old were used (net photosynthesis, stomatal 3- + conductance, internal CO2 concentration and evapotranspiration, SPAD units and nutrients (NO , K , Ca2+ y Na+). In both conditions (laboratory and nursery), it was found that the cultivars with the highest levels of the physiological variables, photosynthesis, concentration of chlorophyll and nutrients in the leaf were Fairchild, Mallika and Kesar. The cultivars such as Rosygold and Nam Doc Mai and Ivory, in contrast, those with the lowest levels were Ataulfo Zafiro, Ataulfo Diamante, Alphonse and Neelum. The evapotranspiration (Evap), net photosynthesis (PN) and concentration of Intercellular CO2 (Cint) kinetics were used to describe that all the cultivars presented a similar behavior and evidenced differences in the intensity of the same. Key words: Mangifera indica L., chlorophyll, photosynthesis, nutrients. INTRODUCTION There are approximately 150 commercial mango cultivars however, out of the total volume produced (1.4 million in the world (Galán, 2009). Mexico is the main exporter; tons per year), only 10% is exported. The main cultivars *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License 468 Afr. J. Agric. Res. + + + -2 -1 for the international market are: Tommy Atkins, Kent, K , Ca2 and Na µmol.m .s , in mature mango leaves Haden, Keitt, and Ataúlfo, which is the only polyembryonic with 50 days of development (dod) of Nam Doc Mai, cultivar (Ayala-Garay, 2009, Ledin, 1957). Mexico has Rosigold, Mallika varieties, Ivory, Alphonse, Neelum, favorable physical and climatic conditions for the Fairchild, Kesar and selections Ataúlfo "Diamante" and optimum development of the crop (SENASICA, 2009). Ataúlfo "Zafiro". The expected results will help identify To establish an adequate management strategy for differences among materials in order to select those with different mango cultivars, it is necessary to understand the best characteristics. The registration of these fundamental aspects of their physiology, such as parameters will allow one to have more elements to make photosynthesis. During this process, CO2 moves from the decisions about the selection of cultivars in the atmosphere to the internal sub-stomata cavities through establishment of new commercial orchards. the stomata, and from there to the carboxylation site inside the stroma. This last component of CO2 diffusion is called mesophyll conductance (gm) (Taiz and Zeiger, MATERIALS AND METHODS 2002; Long and Bernacchi, 2003; Flexas et al., 2008). González et al. (2011) reported a contrasting varietal Experimental site comparison of the environmental effects in some The research was conducted during the spring-autumn productive commercial orchards of Guerrero and Chiapas. Manila cycle (2016) at the Headquarters of the Master in Agricultural mango in Guerrero was the variety that photosynthesized Sciences and Local Management of the Autonomous University of faster, while in Chiapas the highest rate was observed in Guerrero, Tuxpan Unit (18º 20 '39' 'N, 99º 29' 53 '' O), in Iguala de Tommy Atkins and Haden, followed by Ataulfo. These la Independencia, Guerrero, Mexico, at 757 masl; its average annual temperature is 25.8°C and has approximate average rainfall biophysical and biochemical processes, as well as of 1, 015 mm (García, 1988). Grafted plants were used with the environmental variables such as light intensity and cultivars Nam Doc Mai, Rosigold, Mallika, Ivory, Alphonse, Neelum, temperature, can have different effects on the net rate of Fairchild and Kesar, recently introduced by the Fairchild Tropical CO2 assimilation (Sharkey et al., 2007). In red varieties, Botanic Garden, as well as the national Ataulfo “Diamante” and Ataúlfo “Zafiro” selections, all of approximately 18 months age. The the carbon increases as there is more CO2 in the environment, followed by the Ataúlfo variety (González et plants were planted in black polyethylene bags with a capacity of 5 L; they were fertilized weekly with a nutrient solution Steiner (1.0 L al., 2011). Mango is characterized by relatively high per plant poured into the soil and 1.0 mL L-1 sprinkled on the nutrient requirements (Mora et al., 2017); the N content is foliage) and watered until field capacity every third day. the most important factor in the determination of the photosynthetic rate per foliar surface unit (Agustí and Fonfría, 2010). In the cv. Kent, the contents of N and K Determination of physiological profiles in laboratory and decrease in flowering, which is explained by its greater nursery content in the productive stage. P behaves homogeneously during the crop cycle. In the case of Ca, Vegetative shoots were marked and when the leaves had 50 days of development (dod), the photosynthesis evaluations and SPAD the levels increase as the productive cycle starts. This is units started. At the end of this phase, the leaves were cut to - + + + explained by the age of the leaf because as it increases, determine NO3 , K , Ca2 , Na and chlorophyll. Each determination the Ca and Mg contents also increase (Mora et al., 2017). was made using the same leaves. N forms a structural part of the chlorophyll molecule, which is the main pigment that gives green coloration to plants and is responsible for absorbing the light energy Laboratory necessary to initiate the process of photosynthesis. The The plants were left for a seven-day adaptation period at the Plant use of portable chlorophyll meters has been validated in Physiology Laboratory of the Autonomous University of Guerrero countries such as the United States since 1994. In our (UAGro). The temperature (26 ± 3°C) and relative humidity (70 ± country, thanks to the MPM Project, it is used since 1998, 10%) were controlled using a LG® humidifier and the photoperiod with very promising results for crops such as rice, wheat, (12:12h and 450 ± 50 lm) using PAR lamps. After the adaptation beet and corn among others (Díaz et al., 2002). A review period, a randomized complete block design was used, and the experimental units consisted of 4 leaves attached to each plant, of the literature on the measurement of chlorophyll and a total of 4 plants (repetitions) per treatment. Every 2 h, the content with portable meters shows that there are no temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod in the laboratory reports employed in mango foliage. were recorded with a Hobo® data logger, model U12. Therefore, in the present work the objective of evaluating the following physiological parameters was proposed: chlorophyll content for the determination of Nursery total chlorophylls of the biomass; net photosynthesis (A µmol.m-2.s-1); stomatal conductance (gs µmol.m-2.s-1); The plants were left for a seven-day adaptation period at the UAGro -2 -1 Fruit Tree Nursery, with polypropylene mesh (50% shade); the internal concentration of CO2 (Ci µmol.m .s ); among plants were established in black polyethylene bags of 27 cm by 27 others. In the nutritional analysis of the samples, portable cm of 5 l of capacity. After the adaptation period, the experiment - ionometers were used to estimate the content of NO3 , was established using a randomized complete block design, with 4 Piedragil-Ocampo et al. 469 leaves attached to each plant as an experimental unit and a total of chlorophylls and photosynthetic kinetics by variety was calculated. 4 plants (repetitions) per treatment. The temperature (29 ± 3ºC), relative humidity (60 ± 10%) and photoperiod (12±1 h and 800-1009 lm) were recorded every 2 h with a Hobo® data logger, model U12. Statistical analysis Either at laboratory and